New Year, New Renovations

Happy 2012! 2011 flew by as did break and things at the college are going strong. We just completed our first week back to classes, clubs, and work here in the purple bubble. While break was pretty snowless, it’s beginning to look like winter! We had our first snowfall- a whole two or so inches but it’s a start!

The first weekend back on campus had a special treat. The Gold Keys on campus got a tour of Cowles Hall! It seems like it has been under construction for a while so it was neat to get an update on how things are going. On all of the tours that are given, we walk (backwards of course) past the purple scaffolding and talk about the history of the college. It was so weird to be on the other side of the fence and walk of the stairs of the entrance.

Our tour began on the first floor where there were some offices and two parlors with fireplaces, which is where Admissions used to be. There are some seminar rooms as well and bathrooms to match the purple and gold extravaganza ones in Meier Hall. In the middle of the first floor is the home of Remembrance Hall in honor of our first president, Augustus Cowles. There will be a statue to honor him that will be 9 feet tall and has the perfect home in the octagon. Next up was the Chapel and it is beautiful! All of the wood work, stained class, and details are spectacular. The first wedding is even on the books for this summer. For weddings and other events, there is a kitchen and a bridal dressing room. Down on the lower level is the home of the Cowles Bin, the hang out spot to many alumni. It will be neat to be there when it’s finished!

One of the most amazing parts of the tour was seeing a lot of the original brickwork still there. It’s nice that the construction workers and architects could preserve so much of Elmira’s honored history while still keeping the building safe and structurally sound, with purple steel beams of course. We hiked all over the building and even ventured up to the highest point in Elmira, the belvedere on Cowles, which is 85 feet above ground. That octagon has been there for what seems like forever. It was crazy to be inside of it! A while back the college community gathered and signed the last two beams to complete the belvedere. Well I can assure you that they made it there safely and the signatures can be seen. Here are some pictures of the construction!

Elmira's Honored History

The end of my week involved a lot of recollecting. As the purple scaffolding indicates, there is a lot of renovation occurring on our campus to our beloved Cowles Hall. This building is honored with history, as Cowles Hall is the original Elmira College. It is the site that alumni cherish, as it was their dorm or classroom. I could not be more excited to enter the building for the first time when all of the construction is completed to better understand the roots of our college.

As a part of the renovations, the treasured octagon that topped the building was removed. When this occurred, campus was buzzing with the news. Everyone was shocked and felt like the heart of the college was damaged. Even though we knew that it just needed some surgery and would return, it just wasn’t the same.

Yesterday marked a significant milestone in the remodel, the final purple beams were ready to be installed to complete the new and improved octagon. A ceremony was held where members of the college community were invited to sign the final beams and watch as they were lifted in the air and secured in place. Everyone came out to make their mark, adding a touch of our legacy to the college. It felt good to see the final piece of the octagon put into place and to know that we were a part of it. Cowles Hall is naked no more : )

Watching the ceremony made me excited to come back to campus as an alumnus. Tonight I had the chance to connect with alumni as a member of the Student Alumni Council. It was a lot of fun to hear their tales of campus life and Cowles Hall at the Binghamton New York Area Alumni Event. I was pleasantly surprised to see some familiar faces from Reunion 2011! It is nice to see how others have taken what they learned at EC and put it into good use in their careers.

A Sibling-less Siblings Weekend

What an exciting week back from break! I am ready to tackle the rest of the Term and get ready to enjoy my first Term III on campus. It was a bit weird to come back to a Cowles Hall without an octagon! I thought I had come back to the wrong college. While I know it is for the construction and will be worlds better in the end, it still gives me a funny feeling to look at.

The first week back was busy with a Marketing project but ended on a good note with the start of Sibling’s Weekend. While I do not personally have a sibling, I still had a good time meeting the brothers, sisters, and cousins of my friends. It was nice to see families again that I have not seen since Parents Weekend. Mackenzie’s was busy on Friday Night with stations to create your own wax hands and grow your own bamboo plants. My friends and I went to go see Tangled, which was absolutely adorable.

Saturday, I make a quick trip home to get ahead on my Encore Performances. I went to see Ann Hampton Callaway with the Binghamton Philharmonic. The performance was absolutely amazing. They performed hits from the Great American Songbook. Now I have two more Encore Performances left and then I am done forever!

For now, it is time to get ready for another week!